Window tint and Roof Rack (AZ)

[masphx]

Hey guys,

Just two questions.

First window tint... My 4Runner has only privacy glass and its getting hot here in Phoenix, AZ. Just want to know how well this piracy glass actually cools down the inside of the truck? I have been told it offers no UV protection, is the true? I have the 4R scheduled to get the front windows tinted to match the back. Tint guy said ~20% and would charge $50. I did just notice though that there is a small amount of privacy tint on the front side windows. So just tint the two sides for $50 or all the windows for ~$150+.

In the end I want better sun protection, all the windows to match and still light enough to drive at night on trails. Here is what the windows currently look like...

Second question is my roof rack which is a Yakima Loadwarrior w/ extension. The rack currently sits on the factory bars. I would like to lower the rack a bit. Idea is to make the truck a little bit more aerodynamic while keeping the Rack on and also making it look more part of the truck. Got this idea when I was buying the rack from a guy off Craigslist and he said it looked better if you flipped the mounts/brackets over which in turn made held the rack lower. He had a 4th Gen and I can't do this because the Yakima Rack runs into the factory bars. So my question is what aftermarket system do I need and will it work? Has anyone else done this or have a better way to lower the Yakima rack?

Thanks,

Mason

 

[Hepar]

Just your standard tint will help with the heat, but there are other options. You can get a UV tint, but it's pretty pricey. Another option is tinting your front windshield with a very light tint. I've heard (no firsthand experience) that doing so can greatly reduce the heat from the sun.

 

[SoAZ4Runner]

Hey there here is a shot of my tint as it is now. When running the AC it actually helps alot to maintain the temp, as well as repel heat.

 

[Monkeyelvis]

I just got tint done on mine a few weeks ago with Lumar ceramic high performance tint, and it makes a huge difference in the heat.

One other thing to be aware of, the 3m crystalline tint does not match the factory privacy glass and will be noticeably different.

Look at the great and UV rejection performance in the tint you buy, and go through a shop that offers a lifetime warranty on the job. It gets really expensive to have it taken off and redone

 

[mforce]

Our 4 runner was done in AZ as well. It was done with all the windows tinted including the back which was already done by the factory. It is dark though inside but looks sweet and repeals light in a great way.

Hope this helps you see it.

 

[shadow247]

Go 20% all the way around. It will make the back windows darker but they will still match pretty closely to the front. I would recommend 3M Ceramic Series tint. 3M is the best in the biz when it comes to window tint. There are other brands out there, but from my experience 3M will last the longest and block a lot of heat.

For the windshield, I would do a 20% strip down to the AS1 line, then add a window shade. I have had an Eclipse window shade in most of my vehicles, and it really keeps the dash cool, which is where you feel 90% of the heat when you get into your vehicle. They are worth every penny. 45 bucks is cheap, especially when you consider it is a self retracting shade that takes up no room. Toyota Eclipse Sunshade Lowest Price & Free Shipping $44.99

 

[Brentif]

Go 20% all the way around. It will make the back windows darker but they will still match pretty closely to the front. I would recommend 3M Ceramic Series tint. 3M is the best in the biz when it comes to window tint. There are other brands out there, but from my experience 3M will last the longest and block a lot of heat.

I agree that 3M is the best in the business, and tint can really help keep the heat out. You should definitly tint the back windows as well. While they are "tinted" from the facotry, that is not high performance glass. Typically you will be lucky to even get 25% UV protection, and hardly any heat rejection Any window film (even cheap Johnson Film) will block 99% of UV or better. If you wanna do it right something like 3M's Crystalline film, built to block out UV and IR rays, but really pricey, and it does not come any darker than a 40% VLT (visual light transmittance). The icker is here in Huntington Beach we would charge $749 dollars to do a 4Runner with it, ewxcluding the windshield.

If you wanna save some dough there are other spectrally selective films out there such as SPF and Wincos that are good, and come darker than Crystalline, but dont perform quite as well. Pancho (my 4Runner) has SPF 30 all the way around, Crystalline 60 on the sunroof and Crystalline 70 on the windshield.

I would also reccomend that if heat is an issue than you get a dark shade. The lighter shades of window film (with the exception of spectrally selective films) are more for looks than heat rejection.

PM if you have any further specific questions, I would be happy to answer them.

 

[shadow247]

....

Do you have any experience with the Eclipse Shade? To me it is the cheapest and easiest way to control the heat in your vehicle. I have heard of people covering the dash with a beach towel when being parked in the hot sun for a while. It seems like if you can keep the heat off the dash, you can just crank the a/c and cool the car really quickly.

My wife's Mazda 3 has a big black dash, and that thing gets HOOOOT in the summertime, even with the sunshade. It can take 10 minutes for the A/C to really kick in. I have had it checked and recharged, and have come to the conclusion that it's just the whole dash getting super hot from the sun causing the A/C to take so long to start working. It works fine if dash is parked in the shade and the rest of the vehicle in the sun to heat up.

 

[masphx]

Thanks everyone for chiming in about the tint. SoAZ4Runner and mforce, what came factory tinted/ privacy glass and what did you put on in terms of aftermarket tint?. I'm leaning on just getting the front sides done and possibly the front windshield as it needs to get replaced anyway. Side question, my windshield has the vin# engraved. Is this factory glass or did the previous owner actually pay some $$$ to have the vin added?

Any one on the Rack Question?

Thanks so far guys.

Mason

 

[absalom]

I have a guy that used to work for Danny's Car Wash in Phx (arguably the best and most popular tinters in the valley) who will do your whole truck for $120, and the entire windshield for $50 extra (highly recommend). shoot me a text @ 925 708 7485 if you're interested!

 

[Orev]

I havent done this and have no idea if it will work but was just reading the thread and thought this might be a solution to your roof basket problems:
Could you mount it to the cross beams that sit directly on the roof by running a bolt thought the bars from the inside out? (recessed with rubber protecting the roof)

Edit: I just noticed your lock isn't doing much, someone could remove the cross bars and run off with it.

 

[masphx]

Edit: I just noticed your lock isn't doing much, someone could remove the cross bars and run off with it.

Lol, I know. It's just my cheapo deterrent. The Yakima locking brackets will just secure the rack to the same rails they can run off with now. They are also built out of plastic. The bike lock will slow a theif down some but I'm not planning on parking the 4R in any high crime areas. I will look into your idea about lowering the rack.

 

[BrianSD_42]

Just want to know how well this piracy glass actually cools down the inside of the truck? I have been told it offers no UV protection, is the true? I have the 4R scheduled to get the front windows tinted to match the back. Tint guy said ~20% and would charge $50.

Suggest you do NOT go 20% in the front driver & passenger.

I have 15% in the rear and 35% in the front. Now that I am out of college I wish I had just gone 30 - 35% all around.

There is no going back from whatever you decide.

 

[Orev]

Yeah figured that it was just there to scare off any potential ****heads :gun6:...
Just had a thought about the mounting the basket, my Dad has a V10 touareg and it has an adjustable factory rack, to make a long story short when the towers are close together and you go over 70 it makes a really annoying whistle.
I am worried that lowering it and having (I assume) less than 1/4" gap would cause a similar whistle just something to keep in mind. Good luck, I really look forward to hearing how this turns out because I am also looking into buying a roof basket right now and would also like it to sit low.

 

[tinman]

There is no going back from whatever you decide.

Sure there is! It's called a razor blade and some Windex with Ammonia-D. It'll pull that tint right off the glass. Granted you don't want to waste the $ on re-tinting & such, but the OP can DEFINTELY change his/her mind down the road.

To the OP: About your roof rack profile being so tall... Somewhere on here a member (and I can't remember who right off) took the crossbars completely out and mounted uni-strut in the channels, then mounted the basket to that. Hopefully someone will chime in that remembers who that was, but I know it put the rack down really low. If I do a basket, I'll definitely go this route. I personally don't like how far above the roof they set when on the crossbars.

 

[RonMAIDEN]

My back ones are 5% laid over the factory but not too dark you can't see out the back at night and the fronts are a tad lighter due to less factory tint on them. I like it and you can't see in the back without alot of effort and it does keep things cooler.

 

[dd210]

tint

this is 5% tint

 

[masphx]

Ok,

This is my idea for the rack. I would like to lower it like this...

Sitting on these...

There are a total of three that come with the truck. Removed one as the rack would sea-saw on the middle one (aerodynamics of the truck).

So only two of them to mount the rack to now (might add the third one in again but towards the front to help holding the rack down. Here is what I would need to mount the rack to if these are even capable of holding down a rack...

Underside of these...

Here is some stuff I picked up from ACE. To tell you the truth not really sure on this setup so I'm all ears of others opinions on how to get this rack nice and low...

Its too bad the Loadwarrior is thin as I would mount it to the side rails instead. Seems like a more stable area to mount the rack.

Mason

 

[Orev]

Here is a Link to check out this might be a solution,
Did you hear what I said about the whistling? (just want to make sure you know that it is a possibility)

Installed Load warrior rack 93 4runner - YotaTech Forums

Ps: I dont know why he put the cross bars on backwards, It dosnt look to be necessary. It wont sit quite as low or be as clean as it would be w/o the cross bars but might be a better and sturdier option, Best of luck

 

[masphx]

Yes, thought about the whistling. If it does that I will just revert it back to before. I ran into that post a couple of days ago. Was looking for something cleaner but that is pretty close to what I would like to do.